Automotive vehicles and boats are conventionally equipped with a storage battery for use in starting the vehicle or boat engine and for powering electrical devices when the engine itself is not operating and generating electric power. The storage battery is typically secured to a mount or hold-down device as by the use of bolted straps or clamps. The battery terminals are usually in the form of posts that project upwardly from the top of the battery casing or case. The battery terminals are coupled to the vehicle or boat electrical system by means of soft, metallic connectors that are clamped tightly to the posts and by associated wiring.
The just described battery and mount arrangements have had a number of problems associated with their use for many years. For example, the batteries are often difficult to remove and replace upon the mounts due to the build-up of corrosion on the fastening means and due to the difficulty of locating the relatively heavy battery properly upon the mount or tie-down device. In addition, the battery terminals tend to become corroded which necessitates their having to being cleaned periodically and protected, as with lubricants, in order to prevent or impede such buildup. Otherwise, such corrosion can impair the electrical coupling between the terminals and connectors.
The just described problems have heretofore been addressed in several ways. For example, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 1,903,448, storage battery terminals have been equipped with conductive straps that extend through a side of their casing to contact plates embedded in the sides of the battery for mating engagement with resilient contacts once placed within an installation or carrying case. This type of battery however is susceptible to being installed in a reverse orientation which can severely damage the battery and provide a personal hazard. Furthermore, only point contact may be established between the terminals of the battery and those of its carrying case. The resiliency of lead spring type contacts can also be impaired in time so as to render them brittle and susceptible to the buildup of corrosion.
In other cases, as exemplified by the battery shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,331,749, post-type battery terminals have been substituted with conductive leads that extend from within the interior of the battery out of the battery case to insulated leads that may be flexed, routed and coupled to a terminal block. An advantage of this type of construction is that the terminals are located at a distance from the battery thereby providing a safety factor when connecting the terminals. Again, however, reverse coupling may be accidently effected, leading to severe damage. Also, a post and fastener arrangement still remains which necessitates the use of tools and which permits corrosion nevertheless to build.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,486 provides another type of connection of battery terminals to battery supporting case terminals wherein the battery terminals are mounted to the side of the battery for automatic contact and engagement with clamp type terminals of the case upon insertion. This approach, however, can place substantial torque and load upon the terminals if the battery terminals do not engage the case or enclosure terminals properly with the battery resting and supported on the floor of the case. Conversely, where the battery is on the floor its terminals may remain elevated slightly above the mount coupling devices rendering permanent coupling difficult to establish without torqueing and possibly skewing the clamp-like terminals themselves. Again, the clamps must normally be torqued by the use of a hand tool which may not be readily available.
It thus is seen that a need remains for a battery and mount for automotive vehicles, boats and the like which alleviates problems associated with the batteries and mounts of the prior art. It is to the provision of such therefore that the present invention is primarily directed.